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In this novel there are few, if not only a couple major characters depending on ones individual opinion. There are roughly five main character in this novel. But the two that stand out and are the characters that make this novel what it is are Frederic Henry and Ms. Catherine Barkley.
Frederic Henry, the novels main character and main protagonist, is a young American soldier who at the time was serving in the Italian army. The novel takes place during the First World War. The time period he was serving in was the time during the war before major American involvement. Frederic's role in the war was an ambulance driver for the Italian front. In this novel there is really no antagonist. At least no one person is the antagonist. The war as a whole is the antagonist because the war is the main source for struggle and conflict. But if it wasn't for the war Frederic would have never met Ms. Catherine Barkley. While on some down time from the war Frederic periodically went out drinking with friends. One day he met this English nurse. The story turns from war focus to this new game of love between Frederic and Ms. Barkley. The guys always went after women but for Frederic this time seemed different and he wanted to pursue Ms. Barkley not just for seduction but for something more. Later back at the front Frederic and some soldiers he was with come under fire from enemy mortars. He's severely hit and is taken off the front and is transferred to Milan to an American ran hospital. There he misses Ms. Barkley. He meets a nurse Ms. Gage who he becomes friends with and spills his feelings too. He also meets the hag of a nurse Ms. Van Campen the superintendent. His recovery in Milan is part of the rising action. He was told he cannot be operated on for at least six months but Frederic talks to another doctor and is operated on much sooner. To his luck Ms. Barkley is transferred to Milan and yet the love game continues and their relationship becomes more serious. Frederic plans a vacation for Ms. Barkley and himself with the medical leave given to him because of his wound. That leave was taken away though. Frederic gets sick from what Ms. Van Campen thinks is from his over excessive drinking problem. She thinks he is trying to avoid returning to the front. This is the climax. Frederic and Ms. Barkley say their goodbyes telling one another that they will see to it that they will always stay together. Frederic returns to a retreating Italian front where the atmosphere has turned chaotic with angry and confused soldiers. Frederic is brought unwillingly to some dark times and does things no man wants to ever do. Part of the falling action, his new goal was just to get back to his love Ms. Barkley.
Ms. Barkley is, in my opinion, the other main character who is seen throughout the story. An English nurse she comes from troubled times. He has lost the love of her life her late fiance. She meets meets Frederic though Frederic friend Rinaldi. Rinaldi tried his luck with seducing Ms. Barkley just to be forgotten about when she meets Frederic. She plays the love game but coming from such an emotional loss she doesn't want to be used. She spends much of her time with Frederic in doubt of his real affection towards her. But she still cares for him like Frederic was her last fiance.
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There are other minor character such as Rinaldi, who poses like the typical soldier, or wartime doctor, of World War One. Characters like the priest who are minor characters in general but are a major factor on molding who Frederic was. The priest who was commonly made fun of by others was always listened to by Frederic because he and frederic would discuss the war and the what glory there was in it.
A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway is a novel written from Hemingway's own experiences during his tour during the early 1900's in Italy. The novel is from the point of view of Lieutenant Frederic Henry a young American serving with the Italians as an ambulance drive on the Italian front. Frederic meets this young English nurse, Ms. Barkley who he quickly falls in love with. He doesn't want to play the love games like most other soldiers such as his best friend Rinaldi. Frederic is lost within himself. Lost in the war and lost in the love he has created with Ms. Barkley. At one time he's trying to come to terms with himself and also trying to prove to the young nurse that he wants to become hers. Frederic hates the war. He hates the false glory that comes with way. Ettore another friend of Frederic's brags about his war medals and that angers Frederic. Later in the war Frederic is wounded by a mortar and is transferred to Milan to recover. Ms. Barkley is later transferred to Milan as well and the war becomes a thing of the past holding back for the love game that is continued between the young soldier and nurse. Frederic is tragically shipped back to the front after a misunderstood scandal with an assumption that Frederic was trying to avoid the war and to get out. His goal is to find Ms. Barkley again and to be happy with himself and to forget the war.
I rate this book a 4 out of 5. I took up much interest in the war themes. But as soon as the plot started to transfer over to a love story I stated to lose little interest. I did like how descriptive the novel was. Parts such as when Frederic goes through the mortar strike were described in much detail as if I myself was there in the chaos. I didn't feel the novel had a major story line that it was more of a biography. But needless to say I would recommend this novel to anyone who likes literary work dealing with war and personal struggle.
